GIRLS STATE BASKETBALL PREVIEW: REST OF THE FIELD

Here is a look at the out-of-area teams competing in the state girls basketball tournament.

DIVISION 1 Appleton North (22-4, 17-1, Fox Valley Association, first):

The defending champion is back at state for the third straight year. Four starters return including the Division I backcourt of Sydney Levy (UW-Milwaukee) and Kari Brekke (New Hampshire). The team’s only in-state losses came to Appleton East and Milwaukee King.

DIVISION 2 Beaver Dam (23-2, 14-0, Badger North, first):

The defending champion returns three starters and features four scholarship players. Three are Division I recruits: junior forward Tara Stauffacher (Wisconsin), junior guard Paige Schumann (Eastern Illinois) and junior center Aly Van Loo (North Dakota). The Golden Beavers are undefeated against in-state competition.

Hortonville (20-6, 16-6, Fox Valley Association, third):

Senior guard Shay Frederick (16.1 ppg) is a Valparaiso recruit who is shooting 40% from threepoint range.

Monroe (24-2, 14-0, Badger South, first):

The Cheesemakers have three starters back from the team that reached state last year and lost to Beaver Dam in the semifinals. Junior guard Sydney Hilliard has Division I offers from all the in-state programs plus a handful of others around the Big Ten.

DIVISION 3 Marshall (25-1, 10-0 Capitol South, first):

This marks the Cardinals’ first state appearance since it won the second of two straight titles in 1977. The team starts three freshmen including 5-7 guard Mia Morel, who was the conference player of the year.

Amherst (25-1, 12-0 Central Wisconsin-Large, first):

The Falcons’ only loss came to Laconia on Nov. 30. Since then they won 23 straight games. Heather Pearson, a 6-1 senior center, was the conference player of the year.

Wisconsin Dells (25-1, 10-0 South Central Conference, first):

This is the Chiefs’ first state appearance. They arrive at the Resch Center as the winner of 24 straight games. Senior guard Jenna Mace and junior guard/forward Katelyn Meister have more than 1,000 career points. The team is coached by Bobby Buss, a former assistant at Milwaukee

King under Jim Gosz.

DIVISION 4 La Crosse Aquinas (26-0, 12-0 Mississippi Valley, first):

The Blugolds return every starter from the team that lost to Howards Grove by one point in the state final last season. No opponent has come within single digits this year. Sophomore point guard Lexi Donarski is an Iowa State recruit.

Crandon (22-2, 11-1, Northern Lakes, tied for first):

The Cardinals are making their first state appearance. Setting the team up for that run was the return of nine of the 12 players from last season’s squad, which took second in the conference. Junior Alexa Neilitz and sophomore Tabitha Renkas were first-team all-conference picks.

Manitowoc Lutheran (21-4, 13-3 Big East, tied for first):

The Lancers earned their first state appearance by defeating Milwaukee Academy of Science in the sectional final.

Melrose-Mindoro (26-0, 15-0 Dairyland, first):

Sophomore guard/forward Emily Herzberg is a South Dakota State recruit, and Mesa Byom, a 6-1 forward/ center, is also drawing Division I interest.

DIVISION 5 Black Hawk (27-0, 12-0 Six Rivers East, first):

The Warriors are back at state for the first time since 2011. Each of the team’s victories has come by double digits. Sophomore forward Natalie Luezinger was the conference’s player of the year.

Wausau Newman (21-6, 11-5 Marawood South, third):

Unanimous first-team all-conference picks Signe Fronek and Jadelyn Ganski led the Cardinals to their first state appearance since 2013. They took third in the conference behind Division 4 Marathon and Division 3 Stratford.

Clayton (24-3, 10-2 Central Lakeland, second):

This is the Bears' third straight appearance. The team finished second in conference to Cameron, a Division 4 school that reached the sectional semifinal. Alison Leslie and Kailey Katz each scored their 1,000th point this season.

Bangor (24-3, 14-0 Scenic Bluffs, first):

UW-Milwaukee recruit Emma Wittmershaus, a 6-2 forward, is a two-time conference player of the year averaging 16.7 points and about nine rebounds per game. This is the Cardinals’ second straight state appearance.